Messages dissemination regarding covid-19 by street posters: the case of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel

Abstract

Background: Religious minority groups posed challenges to health authorities in Western countries, by violating guidelines for fighting Covid-19, many times from lack of access to relevant health information. This phenomenon occurred among the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) population in Israel - a religious minority whose many members violated Israeli Ministry of Health guidelines, causing high rates of infection.

Objective: The study aims to examine messages dissemination regarding Covid-19, among the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, via an alternative-"traditional"-communication channel used by this community over the years: street posters (pashkevils).

Method: Thematic analysis of 20 pashkevils collected during the first year of Covid-19.

Results: Findings revealed three major discourses emerging via these pashkevils: A medical support discourse, calling for compliance with medical authority guidelines; An oppositional discourse, expressing strong objection toward medical authority guidelines; and a theological discourse, explaining the pandemic in theological terms, mainly related to immodesty.

Conclusion: Findings provide insights regarding the ability of religious leadership to take action to influence the health of the ultra-Orthodox community by disseminating messages and controlling access to information; the intersection of communication, religion, and health; the importance of identifying communication channels unique to religious minorities in order to learn their perspectives regarding health behaviors; and to use these channels for culturally adapted information dissemination.